Gintama

Episode 361

Silver Soul's latest chapter wraps up the battle against Utsuro and sets the story on an unexpected new trajectory. Despite being weakened by the crystallite shards in his bloodstream, Utsuro continues to be the gang's most formidable opponent ever. As Gintoki, Shinpachi, and Kagura fight on, Sadaharu rapidly expends his Zen power in an effort to bring the ley lines under control. While recalling fond memories he shared with his owners, the loyal pooch uses his last ounce of strength and fades away into the Altana ether. However, with Ane and Mone acting as mediums, the denizens of the Kabuki District are able to convert their life forces to Zen energy, which Komako uses to calm the ley lines. Soon after, the Odd Jobs crew is joined on the battlefield by Nobume, Kyubei, the core members of the Shinsengumi, Sa-chan, Zenzo, Umibozu, and Kamui. As Utsuro is gradually worn down, he's forced to acknowledge that he fears Gintoki, the person who caused him to give birth to a separate personality that loved humans. As the group goes in for the kill, Utsuro is embraced by the spirit of Shoyo, prompting him to realize that he had been a fragment in Shoyo's life, not vice versa. However, before he can be finished off, the Heavenly Bird appears directly above Edo. Moments before the massive ship makes contact with the city, Utsuro throws himself into the exposed Gate as he opines that there's no one left who can save Shoyo.

Following a fade-to-white and an extended end credits sequence, the story resumes two years in the future. Edo, which is once again overrun with Amanto, is being rebuilt, and it's revealed that Japan depleted its resources in the war against the Altana Liberation Army and Utsuro. In a sequence that mirrors Gintoki and Shinpachi's first meeting, a young part-timer at the restaurant Shinpachi once worked at is mocked and demeaned by the same short-fused manager and Chatoran ambassadors who once harassed the show's most prolific tsukkomi. In much the same fashion as his mentor, an older Shinpachi comes to the boy's rescue as he rattles off Gin's iconic line: “Are you in heat or something?”

While this cour's relentless breakneck pacing worked well for the previous installment, it's something of a hindrance this time around, since this episode has so much going on (both literally and thematically) and contains a multitude of important moments that aren't given sufficient time to set in. Sadaharu recalling all the times he's welcomed the gang home is downright heartbreaking, but once he's gone, the audience has mere microseconds to mourn him before the next phase of the battle begins. (To a point, this also rings true for Bansai and Nobunobu's deaths.) This is hopefully a sign that he somehow survived his ordeal, because it's hard to picture Gintama glossing over the death of such an important character. Similarly, Otae, Otose, and countless other Kabuki District residents loaning their life energy to the cause is a great way to include the non-samurai characters in the final battle, but the sequence isn't given enough time to have the intended emotional impact. Since Utsuro's life energy comes directly from Earth's Altana, the question of whether he's truly been vanquished is still up in the air, and the Heavenly Bird appears to have leveled Edo, so the culmination of the gang's collective effort doesn't feel as satisfying as it ought to have—although this may have been the point.

Of course, episode 361 still manages to do a lot of things right. The action choreography is as on-point as ever, and only the most hardhearted of viewers wouldn't become emotional during the Sadaharu and Shoyo flashbacks. Fully aware of what's at stake, Gintoki no longer expresses any hesitation when it comes to killing Utsuro, and the Shoyo persona ultimately leading to his downfall is yet another interesting full-circle move. (It also raises the question of whether the goal of Shoyo's training had been to prepare Gintoki to face Utsuro.) Interspersing the first act with flashbacks of Sadaharu interacting with his owners one-on-one effectively illustrates the anti-mascot's personal motivations for sacrificing himself. (It even paved the way for the return of the monja joke.) Ever the loyal pet, Sadaharu aimed to create a comfortable home for the Odd Jobs trio, and even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice, he remains steadfastly committed to that goal.

Although the climactic final battle is at an end, the story is far from over and will now continue two years in the future. Shinpachi's narration and the parallels to his first encounter with Gintoki help give the show a sense of coming full circle, but at present, there are too many unanswered questions for Gintama to bow out just yet. Where the story will go from here is anyone's guess, but given its track record, it's a safe bet that Gintama will manage to stick the landing.

Rating: B+

Gintama is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Amy is an author who has loved anime for over two decades.